The title of this article written by Randolph E. Schmid, Science writer for the Associated Press in today’s Denver Post caught my attention.  He writes that a report in Friday’s issue of the journal Science states that “those who spend more on others and charity rate themselves happier, regardless of income.”  A study conducted by Elizabeth W. Dunn, associate professor at the University of British Columbia showed that how people spent their money made a difference on their level of happiness.  Schmid states that Dunn “was struck by how big the effect was and that how people spent money was more important than how much they had….and there’s nothing special about money.  Giving can involve time or special skills to help other people.”  The study found “Personal spending was unrelated to happiness…but higher social spending was associated with significantly greater happiness.”

The article also mention another study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science in 2006 by Jorge Moll et al. that studied the brain and the good feelings that are produced when a persons gives to someone else.  I looked it up: “Human fronto–mesolimbic networks guide decisions about charitable donation” - what a title!!

Science is a highly respected journal produced by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (with whom, by the way, I had a two year AAAS Science, Engineering, and Diplomacy Postdoctoral Fellowship to the U.S. Agency for International Development in DC in the early 1990s).  The current Science article, The Secret to Happiness? Giving was written by Elsa Youngsteadt in the March 20, 2008 issue and cites an earlier 2005 article in Science NOW.  I couldn’t get to the original ScienceNOW article without wangling an online pass or getting a subscription so I did not read it.

So…creating opportunities for your company and your people to be engaged with philanthropic activities can make for happier employees.  If employees are happier and credit you with having given them those opportunities to give back, they will like your company better increasing morale and retention, they will be more productive, and provide better customer service - all which directly relate to a stronger bottomline!!.